The Piano

1875

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

James McNeill Whistler

Printer, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows the upper body of a person seated in a side view position. The person's facial features are softly suggested with sketch-like quality, showing a smooth profile. They have a neat bun at the back of the head and are wearing a long-sleeved garment that appears to be a dress, indicated by the dark, dense, flowing lines that form its shape. The background is minimally sketched with vertical and diagonal lines, potentially indicating a curtained interior space or window. The scene lacks specific details of jewelry or objects, keeping the focus on the figure and their attire.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    drypoint on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate (cut to plate mark): 23.5 × 15.5 cm (9 1/4 × 6 1/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8475

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 144, state vii/vii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge [1845?-1924], Glasgow, probably before 1902, (Lugt 394). Knoedler & Co., New York. Henry Harper Benedict [1844-1935], (Lugt 1298). Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b-c); gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1931

  • Etchings, Lithographs, Original Drawings, and Autograph Letters by James A. McNeill Whistler, The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1931.

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 141, vi/vi.

2012

  • MacDonald, Margaret F., Grischka Petri, Joanna Meacock.James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, a catalogue raisonné. University of Glasgow on-line website at http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk. University of Glasgow, 2012: no. 144, state vii/vii.

Inscriptions

[Whistler's butterfly signature] upper left composition, in plate. "[Whistler's butterfly signature] imp" lower left tab, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated. "mk 30665" verso, lower left sheet, graphite, unknown hand.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink. "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink. "B.M." (Bernard Buchanan MacGeorge collector's stamp) verso, brown stamped ink (Lugt 394). (Henry Harper Benedict collector's stamp) verso, black stamped ink (Lugt 1298).

Watermarks

None.

Wikidata ID

Q65021892

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